What is a complete protein vs an incomplete protein?
A complete protein contains all amino acids and an incomplete protein is missing a few amino acids.
What foods do I recommend that contain complete proteins? I am going to list ones that may surprise you at first to expand your options in the kitchen.
Buckwheat comes at the top of this list! It is a dynamic grain and a wonderful alternative if you are allergic to gluten. Please make sure you soak Buckwheat over night in water and a pinch of salt, drain and then cook. Buckwheat can have a slightly nut like flavor to it and can also replace oatmeal in the morning.
Garbanzo Beans is next on this breakdown. I love garbanzo beans, or chick peas as some of us like to call them. The thing I adore the most about them is that they stabilize blood sugar and can be a great option for diabetic types. Also, hummus is delicious!
Spinach is another complete protein. Simply adding spinach can complete your meal. Who would have thought? If you have hypothyroidism, I would recommend steaming your spinach to cut down on goitrogens that can block your thyroid from functioning. I will have more information on that below. Remember, not all food is medicine if your body does not like it!
The foods I mentioned above are complete proteins but may not contain enough protein if you are highly active.
What are the top plant proteins?
Soybeans
Lentils
Black Beans
It is imperative that you soak all your beans over night, drain them, rinse and then cook. This will lower the lectin amount that could inhibit iron absorption. Iron levels can be an issue with vegetarians and vegans. Also, you will be able to digest the food better which means less embarrassing gassy slip ups on a date or at the dinner table.
There you have it! I hope this helped. Please reach out if you have any questions or share your favorite recipes containing these foods.
Amino Acid Information
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557845/
Buckwheat Recipes
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshow/buckwheat-recipes
Garbanzo beans
Goitrogens and Thyroid health
https://kresserinstitute.com/goitrogenic-foods-and-thyroid-health/
Lectins and how to reduce them for better absorption